The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-19
TEACHERS DEPARTM ENT.
ARTHUR KlBLBR, EDITOR.
Tho Source Of tho mississippi.

Tho Source Of tho mississippi.
1t is now acknowledged that Amer.
ica should have been named Colum.
bia in honor Of the great dscoverer.
The continent, however, has been
named after another, but Americus
Fespucius never mcanly or intention.
ally received the honor. The bold and
fearless navigator, who opened the
way for the founding Of other nations,
died ignorant of the great blessings
he had brought to an ungratcful and
unthinking world. But this is rcck.
oncd with the past. America has
name to be borne through the cen.
turcs to come.
In 1896, j. N. Nicollet, trained
scientist, was entrusted with the DIM.
cult task Of discovering the source
OF the Indian Mcssa-scba, the father
of waters. This duty was we'll
and nobly done. Without many of
the aids that would now seem indis.
pcnsablc to one on such mission,
Nicollct performed his work with rs
much accuracy rs could have been
expected. Indeed, it is to be doubted
whether more modern scientists
could have done the same work in
way with which that Of Nicollct
would not ravorably compare. AT.
ter having explored the country near
what he considered the source Of the
Mississippi he came to the conclu.
sion that it takes it's rise in lake
afterwards named Itasca. The cues.
ton then seemed settled For
nearly Il half century there was no
dissenting voice. In July, 1881, one
Capt. Glazin thought that he would
substantiate the correctness of pre-
vious explorations beyond doubt, or
would lift the veil Of ignorance con.
ccaling bcnightcd word. After
having explored Itasca Lake and its
feeders, he announces to the world
that it has long been in error rs tho
source of the mighty Mississippi,
Another lake not far removed from
the one SO celebrated is now to be
considered rs the place where the
great river bcyins. With Il shrewd-
ness and hypocrisy, his prominent
characteristics, Capt. Claim manages
to have the lake named on the day
Of lis discovery after himself. Soon
after this Claim went to publish
ing company in New York, with
rudely constructed map Of the Itas-
ca basin, on which was located Lake
Gto2f7', The rcal source Of the Mississip-
pi. Some map compilcrs accordingly
made the change, unsuspicious Of the
trick that had been played upon
them. The schoolmastcrs were busy
in cradicating from the minds Of the
children the name Of Itasca rs tho
beginning Of the Mississippi. Mr..
Hopewcll Clarke, suspicioning the
correctness Of Claims report, made
a visit to the ltasca region some.
time during the past year 0n the
month Of OcLobcr. He says that
a fraud had been pcrpctratcd, and
denies in toto Claims alleged dis
covcry. The report Of Nicollet and
others is confirmed.
After giving description Of the
work done, he says: "'Thc last thing
we did before leaving our camp be.
tween the lakes was to erect on the
top Of the little knoll, in plain view
from both lakes and from School
craft Island Gn Lake Itasca) on the
north, mon, vent to the memory Of
NicOllct, Oh which was inscribed the
following: 10 the memory Of j. N.
Nicollet, who discovered the source
Of the Mississippi River, August 20,
1886 This was done after fully cx.
ploring the country for miles around;
and our little party Of three was fully
satisfied that fifty years ago Nicol-
let had discovered all there was to
discover Of the sources of the Mis-.
sissippi; and that if he had lived to
complete his report on The sources
of the Mississippi and the North
Red River and to give to the world
his unpublished map, there would
have been no chance for any CLAIM
to confuse the geographical world, or
play tricks upon the learned scientists
of two continents.
What TrUc Merit VIII DO.